Chris Weidman vs. Alessio Sakara
The fight was the UFC debut of undefeated Chris Weidman, replacing an injured Rafael Natal on a few weeks' notice. The Fight The first round began. Sakara landed a leg kick. Four thirty. Four fifteen. Sakara landed a blocked lightning-quick combination and landed a leg kick. Weidman replied with four minutes. Sakara was cut over his right eye somehow. I didn't see how. Sakara landed a leg kick. Three thirty-five. Sakara blocked a high kick. Sakara stuffed a single to the clinch. Weidman broke with a right elbow. Three fifteen. Weidman landed a right hand and a leg kick. Three minutes. Weidman pressed forward early. Sakara landed a big leg kick. The crowd chanted USA. Weidman shot for a double. Two thirty-five. Rogan was like 'Hi, Kentucky...' 'Why wouldn't they?' 'It doesn't matter.' 'Aussie, Aussie, Aussie...' 'Sakara lives in America, you goofs.' Sakara is still stuffing this with two fifteen. Two minutes. Weidman broke with another missed right elbow. Sakara landed a left hook to the body. He blocked a high kick. One thirty. Weidman kneed the body. One fifteen. Sakara stuffed a double and missed a high kick himself. Weidman landed a leg kick. One minute. Thirty-five. Fifteen. Sakara's cut was nasty. They clinched and broke. Weidman blocked a high kick there. Weidman landed a right and the first round ended. Not SOLIDLY Weidman's round but I'd certainly give it to him. The second round began and they touched gloves. Rogan said it was a great first round for Sakara. Weidman got a single to guard. He stood over him. He came back down into full guard. Four thirty. Four fifteen. Weidman landed a pair of right elbows. Four minutes. He worked the cut. Another cut was opened over the left eye. Weidman landed a big right hand and passed to side control. Sakara was simply gushing blood. Three thirty-five. Weidman landed another pair of right elbows. Three fifteen. Weidman landed three short lefts. He was trying to pin that arm with the knee. Three minutes. Weidman landed a left elbow. Sakara was literally laying in a puddle of his own blood as Rogan mentioned. Weidman landed three left hands. Two thirty-five. Weidman kneed the body. Two fifteen. Sakara regained half-guard. Two minutes left. Sakara swept beautifully to guard and stood. He landed a right and a leg kick and an uppercut to the body. They clinched. They were both covered in blood. The crowd chanted USA as Weidman got another double to guard. One thirty-five. Sakara escaped to his feet back to the clinch. Sakara's face was covered in blood. One fifteen. The ref broke them up and paused the fight to check the cut. Sakara wiped his cut on the ref's sleeve. 'That was hilarious,' Rogan said. 'I hope Gary Copeland has another shirt to wear later tonight.' Sakara landed a leg kick. One minute. 'I don't need a towel. I got you, ref.' Weidman landed a leg kick. Weidman landed a left hook. They clinched, Sakara broke kneeing the body. Thirty-five. Sakara landed a big left hook to the liver. 'USA!' Fifteen. Sakara landed a left hook to the body and a right to the body. Another right hook to the body. The second round ended. Matt Serra complained about the amount of Vaseline on Sakara's cut. The third round began and they touched gloves. Sakara landed a left hook to the body and a right and a left as well. Weidman replied kneeing the body. Four thirty. Weidman got a good double into side control there. Sakara was trying to push off the cage. Four fifteen. Four minutes. Weidman landed a left elbow there. Three thirty-five. Weidman landed a pair of left forearms. Three fifteen. Weidman landed another left forearm. Three minutes. Sakara regained guard. Weidman landed a left elbow. Two thirty-five. Weidman landed a pair of right hands. Two fifteen. The ref stood them up. Wow. Two minutes. Weidman got another double sitting Sakara down against the cage. He passed to side control. One thirty-five. 'It's your fight!' One fifteen. Sakara hip-escaped and regained half-guard. One minute. 'USA!' Thirty-five. Sakara escaped and stood to the clinch. Weidman got a relentless double. Fifteen. Sakara had the knees in between. Weidman landed a good left. He passed fully to half-guard. The third round ended. Weidman had the unanimous decision. Definitely Weidman's round, if there was ever any doubt.